Follow the Money

Please ask, who paid for that attack ad against The HSUS in today’s New York Times? What is the so-called “Center for Consumer Freedom” and what corporations fund this shadowy organization?

This sort of ad is the stock-in-trade of this corporate front group of a man named Rick Berman, who runs CCF. With tobacco money, he and his staff take off after anti-smoking advocates. With other corporate money, they attack Mothers Against Drunk Driving. And they attack anti-obesity advocates. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We at The HSUS feel in good company.

Berman and his funders don’t like The HSUS for one reason: we are the greatest enemy animal abusers have ever had.

The HSUS helps animal shelters in myriad ways—and we happen to run the nation’s largest system of animal sanctuaries. But we also take on puppy mills, dogfighting and cockfighting, seal killing, canned hunts, and factory farms.  And yes, within the ranks of our political opponents, you will surely find the financiers of CCF.

The HSUS was founded to safeguard the interests of all animals—including pets, laboratory animals, wildlife and farm animals. We have been faithful to that mission ever since. We have the support of 11 million Americans in this fight against cruelty. For more information about what we do, visit humanesociety.org.

Yes, The HSUS funds its pension obligations to its loyal staff. Only in the perverse minds of a group like CCF would that be a cause for complaint. The HSUS has the highest rating from charity watchdog groups, such as Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau. We were also named by Worth magazine as one of the top 10 most fiscally responsible charities in America.

The ad by the Center for Consumer Freedom says many things. But one thing it doesn’t say is the following: why would a corporate front group take after a venerable organization like The Humane Society of the United States. Here’s the answer: they are bothering us because, by threatening animal abuse, we are threatening their bottom line.

Let’s send CCF a message today: please think about making a donation today to send a message that its petty attack ad will backfire.